Two men to face firearms offences trial next year

Two men accused of firearms offences will go on trial next January at the Special Criminal Court.

The two men and another man will later be tried on charges of IRA membership.

Conor Hughes (38), Darren Fox (26), and Jamie Smithers (36) were arrested in the early hours of Hallowe’en morning last year by members of the Special Detective Unit investigating dissident republican activity in County Limerick.

Mr Hughes, of Goatstown Close, Goatstown, Co Dublin and Mr Fox, of Coolevin, Ballybrack, Co Dublin are charged with the unlawful possession of a Winchester 12-gauge, sawn-off, double barrel side by side shotgun and two 12-gauge shotgun catridges at Kyletaun, Rathkeale, County Limerick on October 31st, 2015.

A trial date was fixed yesterday of January 11th next year.

The trial is expected to last two weeks.

With Mr Smithers, of St Patrick’s Park, Tullow, Co Carlow, they are also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the State styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on the same date.

The trial for those charges is expected to begin on January 25th and also to last two weeks.